Amazon just launched its own TVs — and they’re seriously smart

After years of releasing streaming devices and infusing third-party TVs with its Fire TV software, Amazon is finally launching a few TVs of its own. The new Fire TV Omni Series consists of a range of 4K televisions with seamless Alexa voice integration that’s designed to let you control every aspect of your next movie night without ever having to touch a remote.

Starting at just over $400, the new Omni Series TVs have a range of promising features when it comes to discovering and playing content, and we’re eager to see how they stack up to our picks for the best TVs. But in the meantime, here’s everything you need to know about the first ever all-Amazon televisions, from preorder info to their wide array of smart features.

Amazon Fire TV Omni Series preorders, price and release date

Amazon’s Fire TV Omni Series is available for preorder now at Amazon, with units expected to ship in October. The series starts at $409.99 for the 43-inch model, with more expensive options offering Dolby Vision. The 50-inch model is currently available for $110 off for a limited time.

Here’s a quick look at the full lineup.

Why the new Amazon Fire TV Omni Series is a big deal

The Amazon Fire TV Omni Series sets are the first televisions made entirely by Amazon, which, going by the company’s claims, could mean a truly seamless all-in-one Alexa experience in which you never have to touch a remote to fire up your favorite shows and movies.

Pretty much every aspect of the Fire TV Omni can be controlled entirely with your voice with no remote required, whether you’re looking for show recommendations or want to open up a specific app. Perhaps the most exciting thing about these TVs is that Alexa can respond to natural language: In a video demonstration of the Fire TV Omni, a user simply said “Alexa, turn on the baseball game,” and the TV automatically tuned to the correct app and channel without any extra input or instructions required.

The same goes for asking things like “Alexa, what should I watch?” to get recommendations, or asking “Which actor is this?” in the middle of a show in order to pull up that info right on your screen. You can even say “Alexa, play something on Netflix” to automatically start a new show or movie based on your viewing habits, which is a new feature coming exclusively to Fire TV devices this fall. According to an Amazon representative we spoke to, these TVs are designed to keep you from having to look at your phone for extra information or show recommendations when you’re kicking back on the couch.

The Fire TV Omni Series’ Alexa controls also extend to the smart home. For example, you can monitor any of your Alexa-compatible smart cameras in picture-in-picture while watching a show, or see who’s at your door right from your TV via your Ring doorbell. You’ll also be able to control other compatible smart devices such as lights and speakers, and can even create shortcuts. For example, we saw a demonstration of how someone can say “Alexa, start movie night,” which automatically dimmed all nearby lights and fired up a movie at the same time. Other key features include the ability to watch TikTok videos on the big screen (which will likely be a hit with kids), as well as a Zoom app that can turn your living room into a conference room — complete with external USB webcam support.

In terms of tech specs, all Omni Series TVs come in 4K resolution, and feature HDR10, HLG and Dolby Digital Plus — a bunch of fancy terms that means that these sets support many of the latest standards for rich colors and high-quality audio. Speaking of audio, the Fire TV Omni Series also supports Alexa Home Theater, meaning that you can pair your TV to Alexa-compatible speakers such as the Amazon Echo or Amazon Echo Studio for a more immersive sound setup.

Amazon Fire TV 4-Series

Looking for something a little more affordable? Amazon is also launching the Amazon Fire TV 4-Series, a slightly more basic set of 4K smart TVs. Also available for preorder now at Amazon and Best Buy and launching in October, these TVs pack many of the same features as the Omni Series — you’ll just need to use the Alexa Voice Remote in order to pull up shows or control your smart devices by voice.

All 4-Series models are available for $110 off during this introductory launch period. Here’s the full lineup:

Let’s recap

If they work as advertised, Amazon’s Fire TV Omni Series sets could deliver a truly frictionless TV viewing experience in which you can turn on a specific show, get some new binge-watching recommendations and finally figure out who that familiar actor is without ever touching a remote or your phone. The fact that these TVs also let you control your smart home, see who’s at the door in picture-in-picture, and even hop on a Zoom meeting doesn’t hurt either. Meanwhile, the new 4-Series is looking like a solid alternative for folks willing to sacrifice true hands-free control in favor of lower prices.

We’ve long been fans of the Fire TV software that powers third-party options from the likes of Toshiba and Insignia, but the overall viewing experience of those sets has kept them from rising to the top of our best TV rankings. We’re eager to see if the Omni Series can buck that trend and deliver big on both features and picture quality, so stay tuned for our hands-on reviews.